“Last year we made about six thousand baby start packages,” says director Mary Kearney, “In the Netherlands, 1 in 13 children is born in poverty. Those are 35 babies a day and that is painful in a rich country like the Netherlands.”
Volunteer Anneke Nolten has experienced it as a maternity assistant up close: “One moment you are with a family where you can dress a baby six times and with another family there are only a few rompers and pants in the cupboard. You notice that that gives stress with parents and stress is not good for such a child.” In addition to satisfaction, volunteering gives its structure and cosiness.